Zakka Kit - Edo Cats

The theme for this Zakka Kit is Edo Cats.

          I’m always interested in what supplies this box has because I can use them in many ways. The first thing that came out of the box was the Edo Fabric Pouch. I can use it to store a few pens that I need when I go to work or on a trip.

          Next up is the Edo Cats postcard by Galen Sta:Ful. This card can either be used as a print or as a postcard.

          I love the tiny note cards they sometimes include in the boxes, I sometimes use them to add special thoughts to my journal. The Cat Notecards are by Classiky and Mihoko Seki.

          I’m drowning in small notebooks but I still love it when I get them...yes I may be addicted. This is a Sou Sou Patterns Notebook by Galen Sta:Ful.

          No Zakka Kit is complete without Washi Tape and this box is no different.

          Finally, this double-sided pen from Mitsubishi. It is brown with one end being thick and the other thin.

Neko Box - Japanese Folklore

          I really love my cultural boxes because I learn something new every time I open them. This Neko Box is all about Japanese Folklore. As usual, the box comes with a little booklet that gives information and some Japanese recipes for me to try. 

          Along with the recipes and the dose of culture, there all also beautiful items. Take this cute and beautiful Soba Bowl by Izawa which is used for holding noodle dipping sauce, snacks, desserts, or miso soup. I got the Talking Monkey design but you could also have gotten the Frog design. 

          Next is the Tenugui cloth by Senshu Towel. It can be used as a bathroom hand towel, face cloth, a kitchen towel or a travel towel. The cloth is good quality and I can’t wait to use it.

          I’m trying to learn how to use chopsticks and although these are not as pretty as the ones we got in a previous box they are still very elegant and I can’t wait to put them to good use!

          This small Wabisabi dish is simple but cute. It is by Yamako and can be used for snacks, desserts, side dishes or just decoration. 

          The lucky charm ornament by Yakushigama is really cute I got the Treasure ship but you could also get the magic hammer. 

          Finally, this beautiful art print from Neko box. It features characters from famous folktale Momotarō. This box made me curious to go read some Japanese folktales!

Inspire Me Korea - Traditional Box

          I was very excited to get this box from Inspire Me Korea. I love history and this box was all about Traditional Korea.

          The first thing to come out of the box was the 33rd issue of Inspire Me Korea Magazine, and this one is entitled The Tradition. Inside there is a little bit of everything from Korean language tips to Korea’s best kept secret. 

          The Jeju Natural Canola Honey Mask is a sheet mask that I have tried last month and my skin just slurped all the goodness from it. It left my skin nice and hydrated for a few days so I’m happy that I got it again.
     

          Next up is a Calligraphy postcard that was made in collaboration with the artist Jang Hyeon Ju. It looks great and it will make a great addition to a journal entry, a mixed media project or even to send to someone with a heartfelt message.

          This item is a Do It Yourself project. It is a traditional 하회탈, (Hahoetal) named after a village in Korea. This mask looks like the nobleman mask from a collection of 12 masks usually used in plays. Now-a-days they usually have very vivid colors.

      The snack of the box this time is MikWang Whole Wheat Crackers. I saw them and thought...hmm I don’t know if I want to eat this, but once I took a bite I was very surprised. They are yummy as a snack between meals without ruining your appetite for the main meal later. 

         The final item in the box was a Bokjumeoni (복주머니), which means fortune pouch, is a drawstring silk or cotton pouch embroidered with various auspicious symbols that are believed to bring fortune. Inside the pouch there were three traditional Korean coins called Oshuchon (I tried to find the Hangul for this term but couldn’t find it) I think I am going to keep this pouch with me from now on. I need all the luck I can get lately 🤣

Neko Box - Mountain Train Journey

          This box is all about the mountains of Kyushu and the Luxury slow trains. The reason that I love this box, apart from the awesome stuff in it is the amount of cultural information they add in. I love learning about new things and I know whenever I open a Neko Box I will learn something.

          The Kurume Kasuri Woven Coaster by Wamomen comes in there different colors and I got the Navy one. I love how different this is. The coasters that I have are all either cork, wood, or metal.

          I loved this next bowl, it is called the Rabbit bowl and it is by Asahi Kyoyo. It is a lightweight resin bowl used for soups, rice and noodle dishes.

          The vintage gold spoon by Tsubame, having not seen the other design, I’m going to say that I got the Matte Gold. It can be used for tea or soups.

          Next up is the Vintage Floral cup by Saikai Touki; it is made from ceramic and can be used to hold tea, coffee or for scoops of Gelato.

         Patterned mini dish by Yamada Seni, I got the bird design and it is pretty and sturdy. It can be used for snacks, side dishes, dessert or even for storing small accessories.


          Finally, the Neko Box Artprint and I’ve already got ideas for this print. I really thing it would look good in a mixed media compostion.

The Zakka Kit

          You’ll notice I didn’t put in a month in the title as I usually do and that is because it says August in the Information card while I think it is September...but who cares what month, the goodies is what I care about 😆 The theme for this kit was Summer Fruits.

          The first thing that came out of the box was the KaruCut. It is something you put on tape as a way to cut it without hassle. The KaruCut is like a tape dispenser but without the bulkiness.

          Next up are two pens. One is a Sarasara Clip Dry Pen in Red (there was also black in other kits). The second one is a Mildliner Highlighter, which had seven different colors and I got the pink one.

          I love the washi tape that is included in every box and this one had an interesting mix of colors gold and peach with gold stripes.





          The note cards are cute and petite. Just the right size for quick notes. They have watermelons on them.



          Finally, there was a Gift card and a Watermelon postcard which I am thinking of using in my journal later on. They’d make great additions.

Inspire Me Korea - Street Food

          This is the second box I got from Inspire me Korea. And here I want to talk about their customer service which rocks. I noticed that after I got the initial notification that my box was being sent I never got an email from the deliver company so I sent an email to the people at Inspire me Korea. They were really nice and checked everything out for me and when they realized that the post company lost my box they sent me a replacement which arrived one day after they sent it. I was very happy with their service! Now back to the box. I was very curious as to what they will include in their box because the theme was Street Food. 

          The first thing that came out of the box was a bamboo mat used for wrapping Kimbap. I just bought a Korean recipe book and can’t wait to use it. 

          The other thing that caught my eye was the Mandu Dumpling Mould case. The first thing I eat at a Korean restaurant is always steamed dumplings. So if I can make them myself using this mould I see a lot of dumplings in my future 😂

          So this next thing was a little weird and a lot squishy and at first, I could not figure out what it is and so I went to the Inspire Me Korea blog to find out what it was. Turned out to be a squishy Mochi Keyring. 

          The next two items are snacks. The first is Sesame Flavored Seaweed Snack and the second is Indian Corn Snack. I can’t wait to try them out. I've tried both out and I loved them both though my absolute favorite was the Corn Snack.

          I’m very excited to try this sheet mask. I love Korean sheet masks they are always hydrating and of good quality. 

          Finally, the magazine. It has lots of interesting information about culture and beauty. There is an interview with an Indy band and some history on street food.